Weekend football round-up: Fawns on fire as Mossley maul Chasetown

Mossley extended their unbeaten league run to seven on Saturday with a 4-1 thrashing of play-off hopefuls Chasetown. 

A Mason Fawns hat-trick saw The Lilywhites ease past their Staffordshire based opponents on a wet afternoon at Seel Park. 

The sides went in at half-time level after Joe Thompson cancelled out Fawns’ superb free kick, but a stellar second half performance saw Alex Craddock’s side romp to victory. 

Mossley’s magic number 10 had his second within nine minutes of the restart, as his floated free kick evaded everyone and found its way past Pond. 

Fawns then powered in a header seven minutes from time to complete his hat-trick and cap off a near perfect display. 

But the home side weren’t finished, with Reece Webb-Foster weighing in with a fourth deep into stoppage time to add insult to the visitors’ injury. 

Following the win, Craddock was full of praise for his talismanic number 10: 

“He just ran the game. 

“He’s a big moment player, he’s the one that drags you through moments. 

“He creates opportunities, he scores goals out of nothing, and I think there’s a different side to his game now – he's driving and leading and pushing.” 

“It’s a great result for us,” continued the Yorkshireman. 

“It’s only the second time we’ve won here at 3pm on a Saturday all season, it’s been bugging me since September that. 

“It’s good to reward the fans with some goals, and not draw 0-0.”  

Elsewhere, in the National League North, Curzon Ashton came from behind to defeat Worksop Town 3-1 at the Tameside Stadium. 

Oli Greaves’ early strike gave The Tigers a half-time lead, but a second half fightback saw The Nash get back to winning ways in style. 

Greaves opened the scoring on 14 minutes, beating the onrushing Callum Hawkins to Aleks Starcenko’s cross-field pass before rolling into the empty net. 

Hosts Curzon then drew level on the hour when Brad Holmes finished off a powerful solo run by slotting past Forshaw to restore the parity. 

Holmes also had a hand in the second, latching onto Alex Curran’s flick round the corner before being bundled over in the area, with Curran making no mistake from 12 yards. 

Tony Weston then steered in his seventh goal in four matches to put the win beyond any doubt, and keep Curzon’s promotion hopes hanging by a thread. 

“I’m very happy,” said Nash assistant head coach Jack Salkeld following the win. 

“Obviously, we went behind in the first half, but I thought we controlled the game. 

“We’ve shown great character again, scored three great goals, and it could’ve been five or six.” 

Meanwhile, in the NPL Premier, Ashton United’s promotion hopes also took a blow as visitors Stockton Town came from behind to take the spoils at Hurst Cross. 

The Robins led at the break through Enock Lusiama, but a brace from Kevin Hayes saw The Anchors turn the game on its head and move into the play-off spots. 

Lusiama broke the deadlock on 16 minutes, glancing home a trademark Al Byrne cross before Hayes rifled in the leveller just after the break. 

Hayes then converted from the spot eight minutes from time to stun Steve Cunningham’s side and steal all three points. 

“It was definitely a game of two halves,” said a frustrated Cunningham at full-time. 

“We were excellent first half, and I didn’t really see them scoring. 

“The problem we’ve got is, like against Hebburn and Lancaster, the difference in terms of the scoreline is a penalty. 

“We’re getting done by stupid decisions from players. I'm not trying to dig them out, but it’s cost us – it's happened three times now in our last six games.” 

Finally, in the NPL West, Stalybridge Celtic's meeting with promotion chasing rivals Bootle fell victim to the weather. 

Celtic were trailing 2-1 in Merseyside before the referee called a halt to proceedings due to a waterlogged pitch. 

Hosts Bootle drew first blood on seven minutes, with Courtney Duffus converting from the spot, before the forward tapped in his second 12 minutes later. 

Ruben Jerome then halved the deficit just before the interval with a bullet header, and though the second half initially got underway, the match was abandoned just four minutes after the restart.